Opposition politicians have expressed concern about the sale of the Haughey family's land at Kinsealy and the buyer's plans for high-density housing on the property.
Labour and Green TDs yesterday voiced their opposition to any proposal to change the zoning status of the Kinsealy land to facilitate housing development. They also cited the danger of flooding and the proximity of Dublin airport as reasons for leaving the land as part of the green belt.
Manor Park Homebuilders has acquired Mr Charles Haughey's Abbeville mansion and the surrounding land at Kinsealy for about €45 million.
Green Party leader Mr Trevor Sargent called on the public to write to Fingal County Council to ensure the land was not rezoned. The construction of thousands of houses on the property would create "an unworkable urban sprawl", he said. The property would be a suitable site for a national centre for horticultural research and training in organic methods, he suggested.
Labour's Ms Joan Burton described the news, and the separate go-ahead for over 2,300 houses on the former Phoenix Park racecourse, as "victories for property speculators over balanced and orderly development". She expressed disquiet over the absence of clear information on the tax treatment of the capital gains arising from both developments.
Labour's TD in Dublin North, Mr Seán Ryan, said the rezoning of Kinsealy would do "mortal damage" to the green belt, which provided a "buffer" between the city and Dublin's north county.
Mr Ryan said Baldoyle and Portmarnock were already prone to flooding from local rivers. The controversial sewerage scheme servicing the Baskin Cottages on the Haughey land would not have the capacity to provide for a development of the size envisaged, Mr Ryan said.
In addition, the area was close to flight-paths for Dublin airport and this would reduce further its availability for major housing development.
"Labour is conscious of the acute housing shortage but neither the planning nor the social needs of people will be met by reducing the city and country to one great concrete jungle."
Fingal County Council is currently drawing up a new development plan.
